Zagan

Plac Slowianski in Żagań, western Poland, c.1973.

Another view of Plac Slowianski in Zagan, Lubuskie, Poland, c.1973.

The town wall and Cathedral Church
in the town of
Zagan, Lubuskie, Poland.

Zagan is a small, picturesque, town
with a population of around 14,000 in the south west of Poland. During
the Second World War, the forest around Zagan (then located deep in
Germany and named Sagan) was the location of the infamous Stalag Luft
III, and the 'Great Escape' where 76 prisoners of war escaped by a man
made tunnel from the German Luft Waffe prison camp. The escape, made
famous by the Hollywood movie starring Steve McQueen, resulted in all
but three of those who escaped being recaptured and 50 executed contrary
to the Geneva Convention. The former grounds of the Stalag Luft III at
Zagan are now part of a Polish military training area. Near the former
camp site is small, but interesting museum, and some recently erected
monuments. More about the Great
Escape. Zagan was also the birthplace of the German mathematician
and astronomer Johannes Kepler.